The Art of Gratitude

Do you know how many people wish they had the problems you had? For instance, you complain about having to go to work; meanwhile, some people have eviction notices on their doors because they haven’t been able to land available employment to pay their rent. You complain about having to pay for new tires for your vehicle; meanwhile, someone is walking five miles to and from work in one-hundred-degree weather because they do not have a car. You complain because you can’t eat steak for dinner every day; meanwhile, some children go to bed daily with their stomach growling from hunger.

When you place things in perspective, you have more to be grateful for than you imagine.

Gratefulness is defined as the act of extending gratitude and the act of being ready to show appreciation. Extending appreciation for all the many blessings you have received, are receiving and will receive is a critical component to unlocking the treasures of life. Take a few moments daily to examine all the goodness around you. You’ll find that the pros outweigh the cons.

So, how do you practice giving gratitude? Here are three quick tips to get you started.

1. Begin each day writing down three things for which you are grateful.

Often when the events of the day send you into a whirlwind, the last thing on your mind is happiness. The thing about this is that in those times, the best thing you can do for your mental and spiritual sanity is to find the good. The morning time is the best time to reflect on your life and to make decisions about your day. Starting your day off with thoughts and feelings of good and gratefulness fuels your soul and trains your mind to think on good things.

2. Every time you feel yourself getting ready to complain, tell yourself to “Count your blessings.”

No one can influence you like you can so talk to yourself! Your subconscious mind attracts the things you think about the things you speak out of your mouth. Tell yourself to “relax” before you get worked up. Allow your soul to respond to your voice and to react in a manner that reflects positivity and emotional stability. No matter what’s going on, be grateful that things are not worse.

3. Add “thank you” to your vocabulary.

A little “thank you” goes a long way. Contrary to present culture, respectfulness is still right. When someone does something for you or give you a compliment, with a sincere heart say “thank you.” It takes nothing away from you to do this. Saying “thank you” and meaning it lets the universe know that you are acknowledging that it is working in your favor. And when the universe agrees with you, great things can happen.

When you shift the way you look at things, the things you look at will change. Yes, there are unfortunate situations that no one desires to happen to them, but even in those times, there is at least one thing you can be thankful for. Open your mind and heart to all of the goodness around you. And should you find that your world is filled with more negativity than you thought, it may be time to look in the mirror.

Your life is beautiful. You are powerful. You deserve to be alive and well. You deserve to be prosperous. Embrace it. Be grateful for where you are now and even more grateful for where you are going next.

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